Word Origin & History

also lack-luster, c.1600, first attested in "As You Like It," from lack + luster. Combinations with lack- were frequent in 16c., e.g. lackland (1590s), of a landless man; lack-Latin (1530s), of an ignorant priest.

Example Sentences for lackluster

They looked at us from their doors with lackluster eyes and apparent indifference.

Her son regarded her with lackluster eyes when she returned.

Sandpaper this lightly with No. 00 paper when the stain has thoroughly dried, and put on a coat of lackluster or an equivalent.

Willard gazed through the window with lackluster eyes and shook his head feebly.

"I have nothing to tell her," said George—he raised two lackluster eyes and fixed them with a sort of dull stare on Lawson's face.

But she said it from her bed, her eyes fixed in a 155 lackluster stare on the little oval gleam of the miniature.

As it is, we bats a lackluster eye, an' wonders in a feeble way what's done corr'gated Enright's brow.

And yet, as Max looked at her—at this helpless, infirm old creature with the palsied hands and the lackluster eyes—he shivered.